Shanti virus

Shanti virus
First mentioned:	Six Months Ago

The "Shanti virus" is a life-threatening disease that attacks the blood cells. One of its side effects is that it prevents evolved humans who have the disease from using their abilities. Shanti Suresh is the first known victim.

About

Seven Minutes to Midnight

After Chandra's funeral, Mohinder first learns from his mother about his sister Shanti, who died from the virus two years after he was born.

Homecoming

During a dream, Mohinder witnesses a conversation Nirand and Chandra have about Shanti and her death--Nirand tells him to let go.

Six Months Ago

Chandra tells Mr. Bennet about a genetic defect in his daughter, Shanti, which resulted in her untimely death and his interest in evolved humans. Chandra calls the mutation a "genetic anomaly".

The Hard Part

Thompson tells Mohinder about Molly and her virus, which Shanti also had. Thompson explains that the virus destroys the nervous system. Mohinder is unable to find a cure, until he realizes that he is the cure. He gives Molly a sample of his blood.

Landslide

Healed, Molly's ability is unlocked, and she proves it by locating Matt Parkman.

How to Stop an Exploding Man

Mohinder tells Mr. Bennet that the antibodies in his blood are what cured Molly.

Molly relapses and Mohinder gives her another transfusion. Though Mohinder says it will take some time work, Molly is able to access her power.

Graphic Novel:Blackout, Part 1

Mohinder, inside a New York City hospital, finds a teenage patient who is an evolved human. Believing that he has the same illness as Molly and his sister, Mohinder gives his own blood to the patient. The blood appears to cure the patient and release his ability.

Graphic Novel:Blackout, Part 2

Mohinder realizes that the teenage patient never had the virus, and the reason for the patient's problems is that he has not learned to control his ability.

Four Months Later

Mohinder gives a presentation in a Cairo lecture hall. He urges the visitors to fight to secure human evolution. Later, Bob convinces Mohinder to work for the Company on a cure for the virus. He also hints that Mohinder would be a hero if the virus spread to the unevolved population and he had a cure.

Lizards

Mohinder is sent by Bob to Haiti to treat a man who is exhibiting the exact same symptoms that victims of the virus exhibit. This man turns out to be the Haitian. At first, the Haitian refuses to be treated by Mohinder, saying that because he abused his powers, they are now taken away by God and he is suffering for his past actions. Mohinder finally persuades the Haitian to take a transfusion of his own blood. Later, the antidote works and the Haitian's life is saved and ability reactivated. During this time, Mohinder's fears of the virus spreading are realized as if an evolved human could be affected so far away and the virus itself is more virulent, and would have killed the Haitian by the next morning without the antidote.

Graphic Novel:The Crossroads

Mohinder goes to Port-au-Prince to cure the Haitian of the virus.

The Line

Mohinder is forced to decide whether or not to use a mutation of the Shanti virus on Monica in order to try and come up with a way of neutralizing abilities without killing the individual. Mohinder is pressed by both Noah and Bob to use the sample on her. At the last second, he decides to not use the virus on Monica.

Out of Time

After teleporting to 2008, Peter learns that the Shanti virus has caused the deaths of 93% of the world's population. Peter is told that the outbreak started on March 20, 2007, and that according to their records, Peter died already. Angela--who Peter does not initially recognize--tells Peter that Nathan died from the first outbreak of the virus.

In the present, Bob suggests that the virus be used on Maury, who has come to kill Bob. However, Maury uses his ability to put Niki in a dream. In order to stop herself, she injects the virus in herself. Later, Mohinder tries to treat her with his antibodies, but finds that the virus has mutated and cannot be stopped by his blood. When he tells this to Bob, Bob decides to destroy all the vials of the virus they have, and that they must find Claire. Bob explains that her ability may help save Niki.

Notes

• NBC called the illness the "Shanti virus" in a promotional video, and this was confirmed in Out of Time.
• The characters who have been infected by the virus are:
  • Shanti Suresh (Homecoming, Six Months Ago, The Hard Part)
  • Molly Walker (The Hard Part) (cured)
  • The Haitian (Lizards) (cured)
  • Niki Sanders (Out of Time)
• So far, whether the disease is contagious or just a congenital condition is not known.
• Antibodies extracted from the blood of Mohinder Suresh have cured at least two victims of the disease, Molly Walker and The Haitian. Mohinder initially thought a teenage patient might also have the virus, but determined he was wrong after trying to cure him with his blood did not have the desired effect. The strain of the virus Niki contracted is not affected by the antibodies in Mohinder's blood.
• In his lecture in Cairo, Mohinder implies that this illness only affects evolved humans. (Four Months Later)
• In a possible future, it is noted that Peter does not have any signs of infection after coming from the present. (Out of Time)

Gallery

• 
  Mohinder looks at Molly's virus on a monitor in the Kirby Plaza building.
• 
  Mohinder uses his own blood to cure a teenage patient of the virus.
• 
  The third painting in a series of eight shows Bob giving Mohinder a vial of the virus to be used on Monica.
• 
  The Company keeps several samples of a modified version of the virus.
• 
  A hypodermic needle of the virus is prepared, intended for use on Maury Parkman.
• 
  After Niki Sanders injects herself with the hypo, Mohinder Suresh's antibodies fail to cure her.
• 
  In the future, Howard Lemay shows Peter hundreds of victims of the virus.

Fan Theories

Please refer to Theory:Shanti virus for fan-created theories and other speculation.